𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦

To settle a debt

"Your highness, your brother is no longer interfering with the abyss, it seems your plan had worked."
The abyss mage bowed.
Lumine turns, facing the abyss mage, "As long as he's out of the picture, that should guarantee his safety. It is time that we settle a debt."
Lumine said firmly.

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A loud thud is heard, Aether opens his eyes tiredly.
"Huh? What's going on?"
Xiao turns to look at him, then glares back at the door.
"There's an evil aura near."

Xiao sneers, summoning his pole-arm.
"How adorable, now let's not get too ahead of ourselves."
A voice preached.

Xiao, looked everywhere to find the voice.
"Whoever you are, I will end your suffering."
Xiao moved into an offensive position.
"How cocky, although, all you have to do is sit still."

Xiao still holding onto his polearm, grabs Aether's hand hesitatingly, motioning for Aether to leave the room.

"What part of sit still do you not comprehend."
An abyss herald emerges from the darkness.

"Sit still or your friends will perish."
Aethers breath hitched in fear.
Xiao squeezes Aether's hand tightly before letting go.

Xiao lunged at the abyss herald, but Aether blocks the attack with his sword.
"Aether what are you doing get out of the way?!"
Xiao demanded.

"Listen to him, he's not gonna hurt anyone!"
Xiao clenched his teeth,

"Are you insane?! Have you now sided with the enemy?!"
Xiao growled.

"We met in the ruins, he's not going to hurt anyone, I promise!"
Aether pleaded.

Xiao jumped back, securing a defensive position, eyeing the abyss herald.

Aether looks back at the abyss herald.
"D-did she send you?"

"Indeed, the abyss is striking, the princess requires the gnosis."

"I see."
Aether exhales frigidly.

"Is s-she?"

"She will be fine, as long as you stay still, the princess requires your safety at all cost-"

Xiao quickly picks up Aether bridal style and teleports out of Wangshu Inn.
"XIAO WHAT ARE YOU DOING WE NEEDED TO STAY STILL!"

Xiao stayed silent, refusing to answer Aether, Xiao and Aether appeared in Sal Terrae, Havria's underwater garden to be precise.

"They wouldn't dare follow us here," Xiao scoffed.
"Xiao why did you do that?! We were told to stay still?!"
Aether voiced.

Xiao had the look of betrayal in his eyes, silencing Aether.
"Did you side with the abyss?"
His voice was cold and distant.

"I am not a part of the abyss, I'm not sure where I stand, this journey, it's supposed to help me find the right path."
Aether tried to lower the tension by softening his voice.

"If the time comes, and you go to the other side, I will have no choice, but go against you."
Xiao stated.

Aether laughed lightly before he went dead silent.
"The destruction of Khaenri'ah I'm uncertain of, but, if anything, I would be on my side."

Xiao looks upset, noted Aether.

"We should try to find our friends, and can you put me down?"

"No"

Aether needed to get his priorities straight,
Help his sister?
Or save his friends?

The thing was, he loved them all equally.

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"Did you hear that rumbling?"
Zhongli asks,
Venti looks around,

"I think Dvalin sees something."

"Like what exactly?"

"I'm not sure but we should check it out." Venti peers down from the top of the tower.

Greeted with three abyss mages surrounding the tower.
"It seems we have company."
Venti grins.

"You never fail to amuse me bard."
Venti smirks before jumping down from the tower, letting his glider catch him before reaching the ground.

"Come to upset my friend once again?"
Venti winks at the abyss mages.

"There he is, don't let him escape!"
Hisses the hydro abyss mage.
The abyss mages begin to surround Venti.

"Order guide you!"
An enormous meteor then crashes from the sky. Landing on the abyss mages.

"Wow still hurling meteors."
Venti commented, then creates a swirl attack breaking the shields of the abyss mages.

Venti then shoots an arrow creating a tornado of wind, in trapping the abyss mages. The abyss mages fall to the ground, disappearing.

"Archons are quite powerful."
A voice hisses.
"We try our best" Venti taunted.

"Well then, go up against me."
An abyss lector emerges from a portal.
It wielded a catalyst, it's aura consisted of purple flares.

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"That food was so good!!"
Paimon exclaims.
"Aya, if you eat too much you'll get fat." Hu Tao crowed.

"For your information Paimon is not FAT!" Barks Paimon.

"Don't worry Ill make sure you're small enough to test out our coffins"
Hu Tao replied.

"NOOO"
Paimon objected.

Xingqiu chuckled at the sight, "You two are quite interesting!"
"We should go now." Says Chongyun.

"Well that's fair, we've been at Wanmins for quite a while~ off we go then."

Hu Tao jumps up walking out the door.

"She didn't even pay-"
Chongyun growled.
"Ill pay," Xingqiu adds.
"Come on Paimon."

Paimon floats towards Xingqiu.
"Paimon's coming!"
Paimon answered.

As the group walked out the door, they spotted Hu Tao, who waited for them.
"Come, come, we shall go check Aether once more!"

"That's quite a long walk?"
Chongyun adds, "are you sure it's best we go at this time?"

Hu Tao turns facing the group, "NONSENSE! When the moon is up, so am I~"

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Notes!
I liked this chapter a lot :')
And Qiqi won't come home probably because of my Hu Tao 🥲😪
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